Sebastien Prud'Homme Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies E-Portfolio

Critical Reflection Essay created for Dr Derek Briton, professor of the Course MAIS 601 at Athabasca University.

Analysis of the article the Tech guru Jaron Lanier: ‘The danger isn’t that AI destroys us. It’s that it drives us insane’ of Staff, TyN magazine.

Lanier explains in his article how algorithms and AI drive us insane because of our social behavior with digital tools. Although algorithms affect our creativity and our perception of politics, I have observed that they increase solidarity and allow freedom of speech when used correctly, which otherwise leads individuals to isolation. Additionally, I have noticed their relevance for health issue advice in my daily life. However, I agree when Lanier comparing the previous decades situation with the current funnel effect when he said: “We were directly connected to a choice base that was actually larger instead of being fed this thing through this funnel that somebody else controls.”. This convergence has led to the creation of a bully archetype, and we have the responsibility to stop this ocean of misinformation and save our creativity. For my future research on Gen Z men, I could study the democratization of critical thinking with new technology tools by bringing in-person meaningful community experiences.

In 2025, Kango explained that algorithmic governance “is transforming the way decisions are made, rules are enforced, and behavior is regulated.”. The funnel effect of Lanier affects how algorithms act as choice architects that organize social media with the power of the agenda of authority (Thaler, 2021). Ultimately, this architecture creates a bully archetype with high visibility on social media because it rewards domination, provocation, and insults with a form of entertainment, as we can see on the platform X, for instance (Vaidhyanathan, 2018). Regarding positive outcomes, we have seen regulation related to chatbots that led to teenage suicides, the use of non-consensual deepfake porn-generated imagery, and artist copyrights. In the future, we must focus on ecological, logical errors, and biosecurity threats.

In the algorithmic era, individuals have shifted from groups such as families, neighborhoods, or churches to a core networked individualism (Wellman, 2001). Based on this concept, Siddiq et al. (2024) explained that “digital agency should be understood not merely as digital literacy, but as an expansive construct encompassing critical thinking, self-regulation, and epistemic agency in digital contexts.” Using a digital agency, individuals can use social media to create community experiences outside the digital world, which would be beneficial for their mental health. However, we must not neglect the loss of shared truth and collective reality, the cost of isolation, decreased empathy, and the impact of the manosphere on individuals’ mental health. Isolation is a phenomenon that has worsened since the Industrial Revolution.

Despite Lanier’s opinion, I disagree with him in the sense that I found numerous support groups and precious advice on conventional social media concerning 2SLGBTQ+ and disability issues that helped me navigate struggling moments in my life with time efficiency and accuracy that would worsen if I did not use social media. However, I feel that the algorithm components have mutated since the last US elections due to big corporations and the rise of the far right. During the last month, I decided to stop consuming short videos on platforms because of this bullying archetype phenomenon. I must admit that I use active conscientiousness and judgement when using these platforms, which act as protection for me.

Regarding the implications of this analysis, we must focus on the development of digital tools to help Generation Z recognize fake news and conspiracy theories. Moreover, community development for and by Gen Z men must be increased, and services adapted to their healthy masculinity must be defined and applied effectively. When I refer to the democratization of critical thinking, I refer to providing tools that can be applied to any type of person with any background.

Question 1: Is digital agency a sufficient solution for individuals or do we need to redesign of the digital architecture itself?

Question 2: Lanier argued that algorithms drive us toward insanity. Concerning Gen Z men, how could we transition from the digital pill’s phenomena into in-person community opportunities without losing their sense of solidarity?

References

Kango, U. (2025). Algorithmic Governance. In: Xu, W. (eds) Handbook of Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-97-8440- 0_90-1

Singh, A. B., & Engeness, I. (2021). Examining instructors’ roles in facilitating students’ learning process in pedagogical information and communication technology massive open online course. Cultural-Historical Psychology, 17(2), 76–89.

Thaler, R. H., & Sunstein, C. R. (2021). Nudge: The final edition. Yale University Press.

TyN Magazine. (2024, June 26). Tech guru Jaron Lanier: ‘The danger isn’t that AI destroys us. It’s that it drives us insane’. https://tynmagazine.com/tech-guru-jaron-lanier-the-danger- isnt-that-ai-destroys-us-its-that-it-drives-us-insane/

Vaidhyanathan, S. (2018) Anti-social media : how Facebook disconnects US and undermines democracy. New York, New York: Oxford University Press.

Wellman, B. (2001). Physical place and cyberplace: The rise of personalized networking. International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, 25(2), 227–252. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-2427.00309